Before anyone can worry about July 1 and LeBron James’ looming free agency, the most important date facing this franchise is the Feb. 8 trade deadline. The Cavaliers are officially on the clock. They have less than two weeks to salvage their season and perhaps a future that still includes James.

For now, Dan Gilbert is spending $177 million in payroll and taxes on a team that won’t win a championship. That isn’t hyperbole. Players in the locker room have privately acknowledged over the last couple of weeks that this January collapse is meaningful, that the roster is broken and changes are necessary to compete with the Golden State Warriors or anyone else who comes out of the Western Conference. At this point, even getting out of the East will be a struggle.

Changes won’t be easy for a team bogged down with bloated contracts and underperforming, aging veterans. This franchise traded away seven first-round picks over the last three years in pursuit of championships. Short of the Brooklyn pick, there isn’t much left to offer. Nevertheless, the biggest need facing this team isn’t a rim protector or a 3-and-D wing. They don’t need more shooting.